Method of producing knit fabric



June 16, 1964 MISHCON METHOD OF PRODUCING KNIT FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVEN GR LESTER MISHCON ATTORNEY Filed April 30, 1962 June 16, 1964 L.MISHCON METHOD OF PRODUCING KNIT FABRIC Filed A ril 30, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 U UH WW M mi m M mmfm m M ATTORNEY United States Patent3,137,150 METHOD OF PRGDUCING KNIT FABRIC Lester Mishcon, Miami Beach,Fla., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Singer Company, New York,NY, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 190,864

7 Claims. (Cl. 66-469) This invention relates to knit fabrics, and moreparticularly, to a novel method for producing knit fabrics. It is anobject of this invention to provide for the production of balanced knitfabrics by-a novel method for controlling the relation of the width ofstitch loops relatively to the" width of adjacent reverse or sinkerloopy throughout the knit fabric. I

In this specification and in the claims appended hereto a stitch will bereferred to as that loop of yarn in a knitfabric which is drawn througha previous loop or loops by a knitting needle. The loops of yarnconnecting adjacent stitches will be referred to as sinker loops eventhough a sinker might not necessarily be used between needles in allcases. Each yarn formed into successive adjacent stitch and sinker loopsproduces a course, in the case of a fabric knit on a circular knittingmachine each circuit of yarn formed into adjacent stitch and sinkerloops is regarded as a separate course. Each vertical chain ofinterlocked stitches in the fabric will be termed .a stitch wale whileeach vertical chain of interlocked sinker loops will be termed a sinkerWale.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel method forinfluencing the width of any selected stitch in a knit fabric relativelyto the adjacent sinker loops therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for changing thewidth of stitches in a knit fabric from one point to another along astitch Wale.

It is an object of this inventionto provide for the production ofpatterns in a knit fabric by a novel method for controlling the width ofselected stitches in predetermined or repetitive arrangement throughoutthe fabric. Still another object of this invention is to provide a novelmethod for producing knitffabrics in which the count of courses and thecount of stitch or sinker wales of the fabric bear any desiredrelationship through the knit fabric.

With the above and additional objects and advantages in view as willhereinafter appear, a preferred embodiment of this invention and knitfabrics produced thereby are illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGS. 1 to 6 represent schematic perspective views of a group ofadjacent knitting needles and devices associated therewith for thepractice of the method of this invention with the parts shown in variouspositions during the formation of one course of knitting stitches and inwhich: 1

take a fed yarn,

FIG.' 5 illustrates the position of parts upon descent .of' the needlesand,

FIG; 6 is a View similar to FIG. 1 but with the needles carrying theloops of the yarn which was knit into the fabric as illustratedin FIGS.l5.- r

' FIG. 7 represents a portion of the hacker reverse side of a fabricknit in accordance with this invention and illustrates the provision ofadjacent stitches of diiferent widths, and

FIG. 8 represents a portion of the back or reverse side of a fabric knitin accordance with this invention and illustrates the'provision ofstitches of which the width varies between courses.

In most instances, the suitability of a knit fabric for use will beenhanced if the fabric is balanced. By balance is meant the substantialequality of stitch dimension lengthwise and widthwise in a fabric. Sincea balanced knit fabric yields and recovers substantially evenly in alldirections, balanced fabrics have greater customer appeal, andtherefore, other factors being equal, balance is a quality feature inknit fabrics.

Heretofore, balance in a knit fabric has been diflicult to obtain inmany instances. While the lengthwise dimension of the stitch, that is inthe direction in which the fabric is knit, may be quite readily changedby changing the relative motion between the needles and the work fabricsin the knitting process, the widthwise dimension of the stitch hasheretofore been substantially fixed when the selection is made of theneedle size and cut or needle spacing of the machine. Since the stitchwidth has heretofore been substantially fixed for any particularknitting machine, adjustments in lengthwise stitch dimension to providefor desired fabric weight, for instance, adversely influenced thebalance of the cloth.

This invention in providing for a selection of stitch width throughoutthe fabric thus provides for a wider variation in lengthwise stitchdimension without a sacrifice of balance of the resulting knit fabric.

The method of the present invention for a selection of the stitchwidththroughout the knit fabric can also be used to provide pleasingdesign effects in a fabric.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, three adjacent latch knittingneedles 12, 13 and 14 of a circular knitting machine are illustrated invarious positions relatively to a fabric being knit during one stitchforming cycle. Each needle is formed with a yarn engaging hook 15, apivoted latch blade 16, a shank 17, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, a butt18. The needles are constrained for endwise movement in guide slots 19in a cylinder 20 in response to the influence on the machine butts of a.raising cam 21 and a stitch cam 22. It will be understood that theneedles may be influenced by the carns 21,

22 alone or patterning devices such as pattern wheels may be interposedbetween the raising and stitch cams 21 and 22 to provide for control ofthe type of stitch, either knit, tuck or welt, to be performed by eachneedle,

and also that many sets of cams 21, 22 may be arranged about thecylinder each set being accompanied by the feed of a yarn to theknitting needles.

In FIGS. l6 each of the needles 12, 13 and 14 is shown as being actuatedas to produce a knit stitch. In

FIGS. 1 and 2, the needles are illustrated as they are being raisedthrough previously seized yarn loops one on each needle. FIG. 1illustrates a pair of tranfers bitts 30 and 31 as they are being movedfrom a retracted position into engagement with the yarn loops on theknitting needles 12 and 13. FIG. 2 illustrates'the transfer bitts 30 and31 each in engagement with a respective yarn loop with the dashed arrowsindicating the ensuing path of travel of the transfer bitts to carry theyarn loop engaged thereby onto the adjacent knitting needle. -The pathsof travel of the transfer bitts 30 and 31 as indicated by the dashedarrows in FIG'.2 are of course such as to avoid physical interferencebetween the transfer bitts and one bitt must precede or pass over theother bitt. It is unimportant in the practice of this invention,however, which transfer bitt precedes or passesover theother.Furthermore the bitts 30 and 31 may be moved either simultaneously orone before the other in any sequence. As

illustrated by the disposition of the yarns in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, thetransfer bitt 31 precedes or passes over the transfer bitt 30 during thetransfer motion indicated by the dashed arrows in FIG, 2. FIG. 3illustrates the yarn loops as completely transferred and the transferbitts being retracted. Whereas the needles 12 and 13 initially eachcarried a separate loop, after loop transfer the needles 12 and 13 eachshare the same loops.

FIG. 4 illustrates the latch cleared position of the needles in whichthe fed yarn shown in black is directed to the needle hooks. FIG. 5illustrates the needles as they descend and substantially at the knockover position in which the previously held yarn loops, shown in white,are cast over the closed latches and needle hooks- FIG. 6 illustratesthe needles in substantially that position illustrated in FIG. 1. Itwill be noted that, needles 12 and 13 share a common yarn loop and willact conjointly to form a stitch twice as wide as that formed by theneedle 14 in succeeding courses.

Fabrics knit in accordance with the method described in connection withFIGS. 1-6 are illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7 the stitch coursesin the fabric are designated 1 through 11 in the order in which theywere knit, and the knitting needles knitting the fabric are designated Athrough N. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the reverse side of fabric panels,i.e., the inside of a tube of fabric being knit on a circular knittingmachine. In FIG. 7, courses each needle carrying a separate yarn loop.In courses .and 11, each stitch is of a width 40 and of a length 41 andsimilarly needles D and E conjointly form the stitches FIG. 7illustrates in course 9 an alternative manner of yarn loop transfer toaccomplish wider stitches H'I' and J'K' of the original stitches knit byneedles H, I, J and K, respectively. In this alternative, one of a pairof transfer bitts in course 3 completely removes a loop of thread fromneedle H, transfers that loop to the adjacent needle G. The loop of yarncarried by the needle I is handled by a transfer bitt precisely as doeseither of the transfer bitts 30,31 of FIGS. 1-6, that is, to transfer ayarn loop previously carried only by the needle I so as to be carried incommon by adjacent needles H and I. In succeeding courses the needles Hand I will act conjointly to form one wider stitch I-I'-I as shown incourses 5, 6, 7 and 8. 1

FIG. 7 also illustrates three alternative methods of narrowing the widthof the stitches B'C, D'E', 'I'K and M-N. In one method as illustrated inthe right hand portion of FIG. 7, wide stitches B'C' and D'E arereverted to the original narrower stitches formed each by an individualneedle B, C, D and E, by the transfer 7 also be accomplished by raisingselected needles to the Welt position, i.e., to neither take the fedyarn nor clear the latch. In the course 5 needle N was raised to thewelt position while needle M knitted thus providing for the separateyarn loops on needles M and N in course 4 and stitches made byindividual needles thereafter.

Courses 6, 7 and 8 of FIG. 7, which may be continued for as many coursesas desired, illustrate a fabric knit in accordance with the methods ofthis invention in which selected stitches in a predetermined patternthroughout a course of stitches 8 are formed conjointly by a pluralityof adjacent needles andin which succeeding courses 6 V and 7 are kniteach stitch formed conjointly by the same 10 and 11 illustrate fabricresulting from the knitting of in course 5 of a loop of yarn from theneedle A so as to be carried in common by the needles A and Bconjointly, and a loop of yarn from the needle P so as to be carried incommon by the needles E and F. Continued knitting of all of the needlesin the succeeding courses will then result in the formation of a stitchby each needle A to F in the knit fabric.

In another method as illustrated in FIG. 7, wide stitches HI' and J arereverted to the original narrower stitches made individually by theneedles H, 1,] and K by raising the needles I and I only to the tuckposition in course 8 and thereafter knitting all the needles, the tuckposition being, of course, that in which the needle raises to take thefed yarn but not into latch clearing position.

As illustrated in the left hand portion of FIG. 7, a reversion tostitches made by individual needles might number of adjacent needles.Such stitch width control would be suitable for providing texture,design, or balance to a knit fabric not otherwise formed with a texturepattern.

A further advantage of the method of this invention is that itfacilitates the knitting of stiff or abrasive yarns such as paper yarns.The use of a plurality of needles conjointly to form a stitch not onlydivides the load or stress applied to any particular needle, but it alsoreduces the numberof sinker loops to be formed simultaneously at anyparticular feeding station on the knitting machine. As a consequence,reeving of the yarn through previous loops in the fabric, particularlybetween knock over position and the final stitch setting position of theneedles, is appreciably reduced.

For influencing the balance or texture of isolated portions of knitfabric, the transition of stitch width as illustrated in courses 3, 4,5, and 9 of FIG. 7 may be used.

FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of knit fabric having selected stitchesformed by a plurality of adjacent needles and in which the number ofsaid plurality of adjacent needles is charged between adjacent courses.In FIG. 8 the transition from greater or fewer needles acting conjointlyto form the selected stitches may be accomplished in the mannerdescribed with relation to FIG. 7.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein is: 1. The method of producing on a knitting machine having aplurality of evenly spaced parallel knitting needles, a patterned knitfabric including a series of courses of stitches arranged in adjacentstitch wales, comprising knitting selected stitch wales in apredetermined pattern throughout said fabric with the stitches of eachof said selected stitch Wales formed conjointly by a plurality ofadjacent needles.

2. The method of producing on a knitting machine having a plurality ofevenly spaced parallel lmitting needles, a patterned knit fabricincluding a series of courses of stitches arranged in adjacent stitchwales, comprising forming selected stitches in the fabric conjointly bya plurality of adjacent needles, arranging said selected stitches in apredetermined pat-tern throughout a course of stitches in said knitfabric, and knitting succeeding courses in said fabric to form stitchwales each formed conjointly by same number of adjacent needles.

3. The methodof producing on a knitting machine having a plurality ofevenly spaced knitting needles, a patterned knit fabric including aseriesv of courses of concatenated stitches arranged in adjacent stitchwales, comprising knitting selected stitches in said fabric conjointlyby a plurality of adjacent needles, and arranging said selected stitchesin a repeated pattern throughout said fabric.

4. The method of producing on a knitting machine having a plurality ofevenly spaced knitting needles, a patterned knit fabric including aseries of courses of concatenated stitches arranged in adjacent stitchwales comprising forming stitches in selected stitch wales conjointly bya plurality of adjacent needles, and effecting between adjacent coursesof stitches in said fabric a change in the number of said plurality ofadjacent needles used to form stitches'in said selected stitch wales.

5. The method of producing on a circular knitting machine having aplurality of evenly spaced parallel endwise movable knitting needles aknit fabric including a series of courses of stitches arranged inadjacent stitch wales and having substantially balanced stitchescomprising, influencing the endwise motion of said knitting needlesrelatively to a fabric being knit thereon to control the stitch lengthof the resulting fabric, rearranging selected stitches betweensuccessive courses in the fabric to l embrace conjointly a changednumber of adjacent knitting needles, and forming stitch wales in saidfabric corresponding in width to said rearranged selected stitches byknitting the stitches of said stitch wales conjointly by said changednumber of adjacent needles to control the stitch width of the resultingfabric.

6. The method of producing on a knitting machine having a plurality ofevenly spaced knitting needles, a knit fabric of paper yarn comprisingforming selected stitches in. the knit fabric conjointly by' a pluralityof adjacent knitting needles, and knitting succeeding courses in saidfabric to form stitch wales each formed conjointly by the 'same numberof adjacent needles;

7. A knit fabric including yarn knit into a series of successive coursesof stitches each stitch being concatenated with at least one stitch of apreceding course and said stitches being arranged in adjacent stitchwales, com- I prising a pattern effect in the fabric in which selectedad- 1 jacent stitch wales join at a selected course in the fabric toform a single common stitch walehaving a width equal to the sum of thewidths of said selected adjacent stitch wales, and in which a selectedcommon stitch Wale divides at a selected course in the fabric to form aplurality of separate adjacent stitch Wales of which the sum of thewidths is equal to the width of said divided common stitch Wale. Y

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING ON A KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A PLURALITY OFEVENLY SPACED PARALLEL KNITTING NEEDLES, A PATTERNED KNIT FABRICINCLUDING A SERIES OF COURSES OF STITCHES ARRANGED IN ADJACENT STITCHWALES, COMPRISING KNITTING SELECTED STITCH WALES IN A PREDETERMINEDPATTERN THROUGHOUT SAID FABRIC WITH THE STITCHES OF EACH OF SAIDSELECTED STITCH WALES FORMED CONJOINTLY BY A PLURALITY OF ADJACENTNEEDLES.